This Incredible Story Of Firefighters Helping A Waitress In Need Shows The Power of Paying It Forward

There are plenty of uplifting stories to remind us of the kindness of strangers, but this one has a particularly inspiring conclusion.

Early Thursday morning, Liz Woodward served two firefighters at a diner in New Jersey and quickly realized that they had spent the entire night fighting a large warehouse fire.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

"I had been following the New Brunswick fire on the news," Woodward told TODAY. "This was their first meal in over 24 hours; the least I could do was buy it for them for all they do every day."

So, she picked up their tab and left a touching note, thanking them for their bravery and telling them to get some rest.

Firefighters Tim Young and Paul Hullings decided to return the generous favor. Young posted a photo of the check on Facebook, encouraging his friends to support the diner and perhaps give Liz an extra tip.

But wait! There's more: Young and Hullings soon learned that Woodward had set up a GoFundMe campaign last December to raise enough money to purchase a wheelchair-accessible van for her quadriplegic father. So Young took to Facebook once more and shared Woodward's campaign information. Woodward has currently raised more than $67,000—well beyond her initial goal of $17,000.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Now Woodward hopes that her experience can elicit a ripple effect.

"People from all over the world have heard our story, and from it, they're recognizing opportunities to do something little or big for someone else," she said. "This is just one example of how so many people in this world have incredible hearts and they pay it forward so the circle keeps on moving."

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Redbook participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.